3,320 tonnes rice imported from India thru Benapole in 25 days

A total of 3,320 tonnes of rice has been imported from India through Benapole land port in 25 days following the withdrawal of customs duty.

"Eight importing companies including Mahbubul Alam Food Products, Ark Trading, and Sardar Enterprise, imported the rice," Abu Taher, revenue officer of the Benapole Checkpost Cargo Branch, told The Business Standard today (14 December).

Import of the key staple resumed on 17 November after a two-year hiatus, following the government's decision to lift the customs duty.

The last consignment, consisting of 105 tonnes, arrived on Friday night, completing the import of 3,320 tonnes in 97 trucks by 12 December.

According to a letter signed by Lutfar Rahman, joint secretary of the Ministry of Food, 92 importing agencies were authorised to import rice. The authorities allowed the import of 273,000 tonnes of parboiled rice and 119,000 tonnes of non-parboiled rice.

The government set a 25-day deadline for importing and marketing the rice which expired last Thursday.

Shyamal Kumar Nath, deputy assistant officer of the Plant Quarantine Centre at Benapole Land Port, said the Indian government had imposed a ban on the export of both parboiled and non-parboiled rice starting 20 July 2023.

Prior to that, rice imports from India had been suspended since November 2022, when a 62% customs duty was levied on rice to discourage imports.